The Pope's Children


The Pope's Children: Ireland's New Elite is a book by journalist and economist David McWilliams.
In his book McWilliams describes the effects that the Celtic Tiger and the property boom have had on Ireland, resulting in the rise of a new bourgeoisie.
The book's title reflects McWilliams' belief that Pope John Paul II's visit to Ireland in the autumn of 1979 was a watershed in the country's history. The children born during that period are "The Pope's Children" – the first generation since the Great Famine of the mid-19th century to experience an increase in the size of the population. According to McWilliams, these 620,000 people became the country's key generation. They are the dynamo of Ireland's economy, politics and culture, and they will shape its face in the 21st century.
In November 2006 RTÉ broadcast a three-part documentary series In Search of the Pope's Children based upon the book and presented by McWilliams.
Other books on the topic of the Irish economy from this author include 'The Generation Game' and 'Following the Money', each of which continue with some of the same characters and topics.